Straw and manure spreader.



STRAW AND MANURE APPLICATION HLM) MAYHI, |916.

.Patented Doc. 19, 1916.

3 SHETS SHEE 2 A. WUNDERLICH L H. A. CROZIER.

STRAW AND MANURE SPREADER. APPLICATION msn MMSI. :91s.

Patented Deo. 19, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3v fifgm@ kf fs-1 i UNITED STATES `PATENT oEEIoE.

l ARTHUR WONDERLICH AND HENRY A. CROZIER, 0F GENOA, NEBRASKA.

STRAW AND MAN URE SPREADER.

-.b Specica tion of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19. 1 916.

l\p1.\lli:ation tiled May 31, 1916. Serial No. 100,941.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ARTHUR lfVoNDER- Lien and HENRY Cnozlnn, citizens of the United States, residing at Genoa, in the county of Nance and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Straw and Manure Spreader-s, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for spreading straw, manure and the like ofthat class in which a wheeled vehicle carryinglr the load is equipped with mechanism for movingr the load rearwardly on the vehicle and with mechanism for sljlreading or scattering the load.

The invention has for its object to produce a machine of the class described in which simple and improved means are provided for supporting the load and for movingY it rearwardly with respect to the platform on which it is supported.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction and operation of the carrying mechanism well as of the spreading mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to produce simple and improved means for automatically stopping the cari-ving mecha nismywhen the load has been discharged.

l/Vith these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be hereinafter' fully described and particularly pointed out in `the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modiications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired. L.

In the drawings, Figure 1'is a top plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 isa side elevation, partly in section. Fig. 3 is n rear elevation. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the spreading device. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of the follower which is adjustably connected with the conveyor chains. Fignis a'transverse section I view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2. I

Corresponding parts in the seu eral figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

The invention has been shown as being applied to an ordinaryr wagon bed or rack 15 supported on front and hind Wheels 16, 1T. The hind wheels 17 are provided with spur wheels '19 from which motion is transmitted by chains 1S) to spur wheels 20 carried by a shaft 21 .'rhich is supported adjacent to the rear end of the rack. A counter shaft 22 'is supported faligrhtiv below and to the rearward ot ,the shaft 2l Slidahly mounted on a non-circular pon tion of the sha ft 2l for rotation with said shaft is a. sleeve or hub 23 carrying spurwheels 2l. 25 of diiierent diameters at the ends thereof. Fixed on the shaft 22 for rotation therewith is a sleeve or hub 26 havingr spur wheels 27. 2S of different diameters mounted thereon intermediate theends thereof, the parts being so proportioned and arranged that by slidinf,Y the hub 23 along..Jr the shaft 2l the spur wheel 24 may be placed in mesh with thc spur wheel 27, or the spur wheel 25 may be placed in mesh with the spur wheel 28. or the hub 23 may be placed in a neutral position where ther` spur wheels 27. 28 will be positioned intermediate the spur wheels 24. 25 and out of mesh with either. It will be seen that by this mecha nism motion at various rates of speed may be transmitted from the shaft 21 to the shaft 22. or the motion of the shaft 22 may be interrupted. A spring 29 forces the sleeve or hub 23 in the direction of a cam 30 which is provided with several shoulders or offsets, and by thelonmtudinal movement of which the sleeve 23 may be moved against the tension of the spring` 29 for the purpose of adjustiner it to any required position. The cam member 30 is connected by an operating rod 31 with a hand lever 32 at the front end of the rack. by means of which the cam may be adjusted for the purpose of starting and in terruptingthe motion ofthe shaft 22 and for varying the speed thereof. The lever 32 is provided with a stop member 33 adapted to engage any one of several notches 34 in a segment rack 35, whereby the lever and the parts controlled thereby riay be securely re# tained at anv desired adjustment.

The shaft 22 carries a sprocket wheel 36 which is connected by a chain 37 with a. sprocket wheel 38 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 21 for rotation on said shaft. The hub of the sprocket wheel 38 has n clutch member 39 which is engaged by a clutch member les 40 on the hub of a sprocket wheel Ll-l which is QlidahlyT and revolnbly mounted on the shait Q1, said sprocket whcol being pressed in the. direction of the Sprocket wheel 38 by a Spring' 42, wlmrcby the anni sprocket Vwliccls` 38 and `ill will he canscd nor malty to rotate .in unison.

carrying platform is provided, thc Sinne being.;r supported on the wagon had or rack, Said wagon having; been shown as being composed of two Sepitrate,parteI or men'ibcra` B, each member coliistineY olf a wooden frame 48 on which a lioor '14 of .sheet metal is supported. By making the platform ol.' two separate parts or members it may he readily fitted to wagon beds or rzrclfe of dilii'erent dimensions, and it may also be moril conveniently handled and Stored when not in use than would he the onze it it were made to consist of a Single member. The frames 43 are 'provided with cross bara` l5 at .suitable intervals whereby the sheet metal floor will be supported against sagging. Shafts l?. 4T arc anpported for rotation at the front and rear endg; of the platform.Y said :shafts beine, equipped with sprocket Wheels 45% over iii-h the conreyer chains i9 are traine'. hc ar leads of said convey/er chains 'yawning beneath the platform. as Shown, The platform frames are also provided at the sides thereof with upwardly extending flanges 50 consti- 'tnting guards whereby the chains will he retained in position. The shaft 46 at the forward end of the platform has ay sprocket wheel 51, which is connected by a chain 52 with the sprocket wheel 4l. on the shaft 2l from which motion may thns he transmitted to the eonveyer chains. The conveyor chains 49 may be connected together at suitable interrals by slats or cross hars gl.

A follower or end gate is; provided. the :same comprising;r a base frame 5l. an upright trame risingr at the forward cud of the base frame. and brace members 56 that connect the upper end of the upright frame with the rearward end of the hase Frame. rThe base frame is provided with hooks 57 adapted to engage the links of the conveyor chains 49 with which the follower may thus be connected for the purpose of pushing;r or sliding the load along the platform and also preventing the said load from topplinf: for ward. The upright frame of, the follower is provided with load engaging slats 58 which may be arranged diagonally and oth erwise as shown.

The spreader is composed of a. downwardly and rearwardly inclined frame 59 which is supported adjacent to the rearward end of the rack, said rack being equipped with side members 60 to retain the load in position. The frame .r9 is provided at its upper and lower ends with shafts GL 62 hav ing sprocket wheels G3 over which is trained -an endless conveyor composiedV of chains 64 and cross slats 65, the latter being equipped with spikes liU. The lower shalt (l2 is provided at the ends lhercol' wilh pinions UT meshing with spur wheels (SH which arc mounted l'or rotation ou stub shallfi (3E). lmid hubfv4 boing; ahzo equipped with Sprocket whccla To which are conneetcd b r chains; 7l with sprocket whccla 72 lixcd on thc Shaft .)LL

A hood or chutc TI is provided through which thc nlalcrial dclnchcd i'ronl thc load br lhc Spreader is dilahareed. hc motion ol' lhc Hprcadcr being; anliicicntly rapid to scat lcr thc iu-i'tcrial orcr thc ground. and the hood S.ci`\'1n as :l wind gourd to pri-.vent thc loonc material from bciuir blown away. ln like manner the hood scrwa to prevent thc material from beine' blown into the nearing; and interfering1 with the morenicnt thereof.

Supported [or rotation adjacent to thc rearward end of the plat l'orni a rock Shaft T--l harinal an npwardl)r cxtcnding' arm T that lies in the path oil a tappct mcnibcr T which projects laterally from thc follower (hat is f -onilcctcd with the convf-)ier chaine. 'lhc shall T--l also han an arm i' which le coilnccted by a link 7T with one arm of a` bell cranlc T9, thc olhci aini nl' which han a terniinal l'orhV Ti! that cngag'iw the hub ot thc sprocket wheel ll.` enabling` said hnb to be retracted .iirainst the tension of the spring lthereby disconnecting the clntch membcrf; 39 and 40 and interrnptingir the transmiasion of motion from the Shaft Z1 lo the shaft 4G whereby the endless conveyors are operated.

In the operation of this invention. the load is laeed on thc platform at the front end ot which the follower has been previously mounted and connected with the conrcyer chains. By actuating the lever 3Q the Slew-we 23 carrying the Hpnr wheels 523.-. 25 iS placed in a ncutral position with respect to the spur wheels Q7. 28, thereby interrnpting trans'iniasion of motion to the moving parts of the nlcchnnianl 'while thc load is; being hanlcd to the licld where it ia to be dis;- chargcd. liv manipulating.:v tbc lever 3Q the sleere or hub Q3 in no actuated to place one oi the spur wheels carried thereby in mesh with one of the spur wheels 27 or 28. thereby canningr motion at the desired speed to be transmitted to the shaft 22 and from I@aid shaft through the mechanism described to the conveyor chains and also to the Spreader. As the wagon is being drawn over the field the loud will be moved forwardly by the conjoint action of the conveyor chains and the follower connected therewith, and the material 'of the load is spread or scattered on. the ground. When the load has heen discharged the tappet member 76 of the follower will engage the arm of the rock shaft 74, partly rotatinfhsaid shaft and cansing the bell crank 7S "o move the sprocket wheel 4l against the tension of the springr 42. rilscminectine the clutch niemlwrw` f1.0 and 40 and interrupting the movement of the conveyer chains, this interruption taking glace automatically and without supervision y the operator, thereby avoiding any possibility of accident or breakage of the parts. The improved Spreading device is very simple in construction and effective in operation, and it may be readily applied t0 and used in connection with hay racks or wagons of conventional type.

laving thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is:-

1. In a machine of the class described, a

rack having front and rear supporting Wheels, a platform composed of two lateral members mounted on the rack, each member consistingr of a rectangular wooden frame, sheet metal fiooring secured thereon, and guard flanges at the sides of the frame, shafts supported for rotation at the front and rear endsof the platform, endless conveyer chains trained over the shafts, and means for operatingr the endless conveyer chains by power derived from the rear supporting wheels.

2. In ay machine of the class described, a

rack having front and rear supporting wheels, a transverse main shaft supported for rotation adjacent to the rearward end of the rack and receiving motion from the rear supporting wheels, a counter shaft, means for transmitting motion at various speeds from the main shaft to the counter shaft, a sprocket wheel revoluble on the main shaft an receiving motion from the counter shaft, a platform mounted on the rack and having shafts at its front and rearends, endless conveyer chains trained over the platform shafts, and means including a clutch device for transmitting `motion from the sprocket wheel on the main shaft to the rearward platform shaft, in combination with a follower connected with the conveyer chains, and means including a tappet on the follower, and a rock shaft mounted on the platform and havin, an arm extending in the path of the tappet member for actuating the clutch to interrupt the transmission of motion to the platform shafts.

3. In a machine of the class described, a rack having front and rear supporting wheels, a transverse main shaft supported adjacent to the rear end of the rack and receiving motion from the rear supporting wheels, a counter shaft having sprocket wheels at the ends thereof, means for transmitting motion at variable speed from the main shaft to the counter shaft and for interrupting such motion, ported on the rack. endless conveyer chains guided over the platform, means for driving said conveyor chains and for interrupting the motion thereof, a spreader frame supported in a downwardly and rearwardly xnclined position at the rearward end of the rack, shafts at the upper and lower ends of said spreader frame. endless chains trained over said shafts and carrying spiked slats, spur wheels mounted on the lower spreader shaft at the ends thereof, stub shafts mounted on the lspreader frame, hubs mounted on the stub shafts, each hub having a spur wheel meshing with a. spur Wheel 0n the lower spreader shaft and each hub having also a. sprocket wheel, and chains trained over the last mentioned sprocket wheels and over the sprocket wheels on the counter shaft.

n I* l In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

ARTHUR WONDERLICH. HENRY A. CROZIER. Witnesses:

C. E. PEAnsoN, C. E. GREEN.

a platform supf 

